International management consulting and engineering firm, Pöyry has produced detailed analysis concluding that full decarbonisation of Europe’s energy system by 2050 is achievable.Decarbonising Europe’s transport, heat and power systems at this pace would help Europe to meet the Paris climate change agreement’s 1.5 degrees temperature limit.Utilising zero carbon gas options as part of the energy mix could save €1,150bn by 2050 compared to an ’all-electric’ world, especially in transforming heat.

Pöyry has today published a study "Fully decarbonising Europe’s energy system by 2050", which highlights the changes required to energy use in order to achieve full decarbonisation of Europe’s energy system by 2050.

use of hydrogen to decarbonise larger vehicles and as part of the fuel mix in heating ; and

deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology.

The study investigates two potential pathways : firstly a ’Zero Carbon Gas’ pathway, where biomethane, hydrogen and CCS are part of the solution, and secondly an ’All-Electric’ future, where only electrification of all transport and heat is allowed. Pöyry has extended its sophisticated modelling suite to include the heat and transport sectors.

The study concludes that utilising zero carbon gas as part of a balanced energy mix, especially in transforming heat, delivers a saving of over €1,150bn compared to an ’all-electric’ world only. Excluding these options would mean adding significant amounts of new nuclear generation. It also argues that mass-deployment of smart-grid connected electric vehicles will limit the deployment of new battery storage and power-to-gas technologies.

Lead author Richard Sarsfield-Hall says :

"Our research is good news for those who want a carbon-free future but a reality check for governments and stakeholders about the hurdles that need to be overcome. It is important that policy makers keep all options on the table if they want to collectively achieve the Paris climate change targets by minimising risks and costs for consumers."